Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Canada

Labor force in Canada in 2025 — 22,846,475 people. Ranked 32 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 55.9%.

2025 22.85M people +0.75% vs 2024
World rank 32of 182
Period maximum 22.85M people2025
Period minimum 14.66M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Canada, 1990–202512.5M15M17.5M20M22.5M25M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 14,657,129 people1991: 14,723,928 people1992: 14,690,496 people1993: 14,776,360 people1994: 14,916,387 people1995: 15,019,710 people1996: 15,170,582 people1997: 15,409,638 people1998: 15,645,133 people1999: 15,924,535 people2000: 16,186,923 people2001: 16,454,900 people2002: 16,941,931 people2003: 17,341,662 people2004: 17,554,856 people2005: 17,706,025 people2006: 17,980,234 people2007: 18,289,463 people2008: 18,579,576 people2009: 18,747,581 people2010: 18,934,218 people2011: 19,112,505 people2012: 19,332,146 people2013: 19,544,962 people2014: 19,594,831 people2015: 19,705,946 people2016: 19,857,477 people2017: 20,155,417 people2018: 20,391,340 people2019: 20,799,435 people2020: 20,505,333 people2021: 21,005,652 people2022: 21,462,479 people2023: 22,170,293 people2024: 22,676,159 people2025: 22,846,475 people
Change over the period: +8.19M (+55.87%) Average annual rate: 1.28 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Canada

Canada 22.85M people
World 3.74B people
North America 198M people
High-income countries computed 716M people
Labor force — Canada, by year Canada All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 22.85M +170,316 +0.75%
2024 22.68M +505,866 +2.28%
2023 22.17M +707,814 +3.3%
2022 21.46M +456,827 +2.17%
2021 21.01M +500,319 +2.44%
2020 20.51M −294,102 −1.41%
2019 20.8M +408,095 +2%
2018 20.39M +235,923 +1.17%
2017 20.16M +297,940 +1.5%
2016 19.86M +151,531 +0.77%
2015 19.71M +111,115 +0.57%
2014 19.59M +49,869 +0.26%
2013 19.54M +212,816 +1.1%
2012 19.33M +219,641 +1.15%
2011 19.11M +178,287 +0.94%
2010 18.93M +186,637 +1%
2009 18.75M +168,005 +0.9%
2008 18.58M +290,113 +1.59%
2007 18.29M +309,229 +1.72%
2006 17.98M +274,209 +1.55%
2005 17.71M +151,169 +0.86%
2004 17.55M +213,194 +1.23%
2003 17.34M +399,731 +2.36%
2002 16.94M +487,031 +2.96%
2001 16.45M +267,977 +1.66%
2000 16.19M +262,388 +1.65%
1999 15.92M +279,402 +1.79%
1998 15.65M +235,495 +1.53%
1997 15.41M +239,056 +1.58%
1996 15.17M +150,872 +1%
1995 15.02M +103,323 +0.69%
1994 14.92M +140,027 +0.95%
1993 14.78M +85,864 +0.58%
1992 14.69M −33,432 −0.23%
1991 14.72M +66,799 +0.46%
1990 14.66M

Northern America, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

US United States 175M CA Canada 22.85M

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.